Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Logo PNG
The logo of Florida Atlantic University emphasizes the university’s coastal location and dedication to oceanographic research. This reflects the ancient traditions upon which the FAU brand was built. Additionally, the emblem connects all structures of the educational institution, uniting various colleges into a cohesive system.
Florida Atlantic University began on land shaped by World War II. In October 1942, the U.S. Army took a large area in Boca Raton, including property from the Japanese-American Yamato farming community, and built Boca Raton Army Air Field. The base trained radar operators, including airmen connected with the Enola Gay crew. By 1947, the radar school had moved to Mississippi, leaving 5,860 acres of federal land unused.
In 1955, Florida authorized a fifth state university for the growing southeast region. Local banker Tom Fleming, a University of Florida graduate with a Harvard MBA, pushed Boca Raton as the site and proposed reusing the former airfield. After the state demanded local funding, Fleming led a campaign that raised $300,000, with further construction support from a $5.3 million bond backed by Governor Farris Bryant.
On July 15, 1961, the legislature created Florida Atlantic University. Kenneth Rast Williams became its first president, working at first from an old airfield fire station. FAU opened on September 14, 1964, delayed by Hurricane Cleo, with 867 students, five colleges, and 350 staff members. On October 25, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson spoke at the dedication before 15,000 people and received the university’s first honorary doctorate.
FAU was first designed for juniors, seniors, and graduate students transferring from community colleges. It used campus television studios for distance learning and opened the first U.S. undergraduate ocean engineering program in 1965. In 1971, the Boca Raton campus became a burrowing owl sanctuary, giving the Florida Atlantic Owls their name. Later growth added regional campuses, medical education with the University of Miami, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and Max Planck research links.
Meaning and History
When FAU was under construction, the Fort Lauderdale News organized a contest to name it. Among the suggested names were A-Okay, Gulfstream, Peninsula, Palm State, and others. The final decision was made by the Board of Control, which in 1962 decided to name the educational institution Florida Atlantic University. This was two years before its official opening. The chosen name is now used in the university’s logo, presented in both full and abbreviated forms. The visual sign emphasizes the educational institution’s individuality, modernity, and adherence to tradition.
What is Florida Atlantic University?
Florida Atlantic University is a public educational institution created in 1964 for residents of the densely populated southeastern region of the state who needed accessible education. It has a main campus in Boca Raton and several additional ones in Broward County, Palm Beach County, and St. Lucie County. There are more than ten FAU colleges offering undergraduate and graduate programs.
1961 – today
At the top of the emblem is the word “FAU.” Designers played on the university’s proximity to the ocean by connecting the “A” to a tall wave, whose crest replaces the letter’s crossbar. Below the abbreviation is a long horizontal red stripe. The inscription “FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY” is divided into two lines and centered. The text is in a font with thin serifs and painted in blue, the official color of the educational institution.
The Seal
Archival documents have preserved information, such as that in 1964, the university began using an oval seal created by Henry A. Schubert, then the Director of Graphics. It contained a map of the southeastern part of the USA, highlighting the state of Florida and indicating the city of Boca Raton, where FAU’s main campus is located. It also featured the institution’s name and motto, “Where Tomorrow Begins,” which Schubert also coined. On both sides, torches are depicted.
However, the old version did not survive, and it has been replaced by a new seal that looks quite different.
- In the center is the so-called lamp of knowledge with a red flame. It symbolizes a commitment to high academic mastery.
- From the fire, white rays in the form of elongated triangles spread out in all directions. This represents the energy that allows the university to grow and develop. Also, the rays form a sun, as Florida is sunny.
- The lamp of knowledge floats on blue waves. They show the university’s unique coastal location and emphasize its interest in oceanographic research.
All graphic elements are within a circle, set within a dark blue ring with white and grey contours. Information about the university is written: “FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY EST. 1961.” The text is white and set in a font with thin serifs.
Font and Colors
In the logo, seal, and formal communications, FAU uses fonts from the Palatino family, named after a master calligrapher. German typographer Hermann Zapf created these fonts with long, thin serifs in 1948, and several foundry companies subsequently produced them. A feature of the Palatino fonts is their high legibility.
The university’s visual identity is built on the following colors:
- dark blue (#003366);
- red (#CC0000);
- grey (#CCCCCC).
Blue is especially significant: it underscores the institution’s close connection to oceanographic research. White is used as a background for the verbal sign and as the main color for some elements of the FAU seal.
